Ballet Help Desk

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Davit Karapetyan and Laura Bowman Goldstein from Philadelphia Ballet break down three focused summer programs designed for dancers considering specialized training: the Pas de Deux Intensive, Variations Intensive, and Company Experience. They start with partnering, an essential skill that many students cannot ge...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Durante Verzola, resident choreographer for Miami City Ballet School, breaks down their Summer Choreographic Workshop, a specialized program that simulates professional dancer life for students as young as 14. Unlike traditional summer intensives, this program focuses on preparing dancers for the quick turnaroun...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Oliver Till, Artistic Director of Kansas City Ballet School, walks us through ChoreoLab, their unique summer program that pairs aspiring dancers with emerging choreographers. The program runs two tracks: Movers (dancers 17+) and Makers (choreographers 18-24). Instead of traditional technique classes, participant...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Erica Fischbach and Sean Omandam from Colorado Ballet Academy break down two of their specialized summer programs: the Choreographic Workshop and the Young Dancer Intensive. The Choreographic Workshop immerses older students in a professional-style setting where they learn to pick up choreography quickly, work w...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Katie Sopoci Drake and Zoica Tovar from the Washington School of Ballet break down their Junior and Senior Repertory Week programs in this episode. The two programs serve different levels of dancers, and our guests explain how each one works and what participants can expect. They discuss the school's teaching me...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Audition season is here again, and we're revisiting one of our most requested conversations. In this episode, Jess Spinner, founder of The Whole Dancer, breaks down how dancers can create an audition approach that actually works for them. She shares strategies for choosing auditions, tailoring a plan to the type...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk In Part 2 of our #NoThirds series on bullying in ballet, we dig deeper into accountability, emotional health, and what it actually looks like to navigate harmful dynamics inside dance environments. Our guests explore how parents, students, and schools can recognize the signs of toxic training, respond to concern...

Before you listen, we'd love your help. Please take a minute to fill out our short podcast survey so we can keep making this show better for you. Link:  https://forms.gle/Uf3Xx3XyEUzBtQw69 In Part 1 of our # NoThirds  series on bullying in ballet, we sit down with two experts to unpack what bullying looks like in today's dance world. Dr. Suzette Takei, a longtime middle school principal with a PhD...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk In Part 2 of our conversation with Troy Schumacher, Sara Mearns and Annie Sundberg, we pick up as opening night of  The Nutcracker at Wethersfield draws near. From a massive snowstorm that nearly shut everything down to the emotions that swept over the dancers once the curtain finally rose, Troy shares what it t...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk What would you do if, for the first time in forever, Nutcracker got canceled? This is what hundreds of thousands of ballet fans and thousands of dancers were faced with in the Winter of 2020. Covid had shut down the world and it was particularly bad in New York City. Enter Troy Schumacher, a soloist with the New...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk There's no such thing as a perfect path in ballet, and few people know that better than Francis Veyette, Co-Founder of the Veyette Virtual Ballet School. In part 2 of this episode of #NoThirds, Fran continues to discuss the ups and downs of a dance career, how setbacks can create unexpected growth, and why paren...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Avant Chamber Ballet is redefining what a regional ballet company can be – performing with live musicians, championing diversity and dancer wellness, and connecting with audiences far beyond traditional theaters. In this episode, Artistic Director Katie Puder and School Director Madelaine Boyce share how they've...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk There's no such thing as a perfect path in ballet, and few people know that better than Francis Veyette, Co-Founder of the Veyette Virtual Ballet School. In part 1 of this episode of #NoThirds, Fran talks about the ups and downs of a dance career, how setbacks can create unexpected growth, and why parental suppo...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Oğulcan Borova, Head of the Trainee and Studio Company Programs at the Grainger Academy, joins us to explain how the school is structured. The Conservatory provides intensive training, while the Trainee and Studio Company levels serve as postgraduate bridges to professional careers. Borova also discusses Winning...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Ballet Memphis is redefining what it means to be a ballet company. In this conversation, Artistic Director Steven McMahon and Academy Co-Directors Virginia and Brandon Ramey discuss how they've built a company that belongs to its city, one that reflects Memphis's energy, diversity, and creative spirit. They also...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Eva Stone believes every young woman in ballet should learn to choreograph, and she is on a mission to make that happen. In this episode, the Pacific Northwest Ballet faculty member shares why she sees choreography as essential to developing artistic confidence, voice, and agency in female dancers. She talks abo...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Dancer Daria Breslin shares her path from early training in Maryland to professional life with City Ballet of San Diego. She talks about the lessons learned at Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre and Nashville Ballet, the importance of mentorship and community, and the realities of auditions and feedback. Daria's story of...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Eugene Ballet has grown from a small regional company into a thriving school and professional ensemble. Founder Toni Pimble, Artistic Director Jennifer Martin, and School Director Sara Lombardi discuss the company's journey, their approach to dancer training, including how dancers in their Aspirant program move...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk In this episode of  #NoThirds , we sit down with Fran Veyette, co-founder of Veyette Virtual Ballet School, to talk about the realities of ballet training and the role parents play in a dancer's journey. Fran shares why training smarter is more important than training harder, what families should consider when c...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Davit Karapetyan, Director of The School of Philadelphia Ballet, joins us to talk about how the school is structured and how dancers move through its levels, from the pre-professional program to PBII and beyond. He explains how auditions are evaluated, what adjudicators look for, and the common mistakes dancers...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Deanna Seay, Training Coordinator at the School of Richmond Ballet, joins us to talk about how dancers move through the school, from early training to the pre-professional program, trainee level, and second company. She explains what adjudicators look for in auditions (and common mistakes), how scholarships work...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk This is the first episode in our new  Dancer Stories series, where professional dancers share their training paths their move into company life. Jaya Dhand talks about her experience at Indiana University, how she got hired by Ballet West 2, and her recent promotion to the main company. She explains the choices...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Former Pacific Northwest Ballet principals Sarah and Seth Orza share their training backgrounds, the hardest parts of becoming professionals, and the advice that shaped their paths. They talk about company moves, the realities of life onstage, and the transition into founding Orza ballet shoes. The conversation...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Fran shares more advice for students in Part 2 of #NoThirds: how respect and awareness shape auditions, why community matters, and what young dancers should know about contracts and career readiness. Interested in working with Fran at Veyette Virtual Ballet School? Check out our Back to Dance Guide for an exclus...

Listen to Ballet Help Desk ad-free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/ BalletHelpDesk Listeners asked, and Fran Veyette answers! In this  #NoThirds  "Fran's Mailbag" episode, he breaks down how casting really works, whether principals dance less, what happens when dancers date (and break up), and yes — the truth about dogs in the studio. This is Part 1 of a two-part series. Tune back in tomorrow...